Social Politics
by TardisTheory
Summary: Holly went from Company captive to agent thanks to Angela. After Angela saves her from Sylar she becomes a close friend of the family. But will her romance with a Petrelli be destroyed by fate? Is she the key to saving a family member's life? S3 Spoilers!
1. Confusion

I don't own any character in Heroes! Holly Preston is my own creation, and is copyright me.

I couldn't fit the summary I wanted on the story itself, so here is what it was supposed to be:

For ambitious 29-year-old Holly Preston, the life of an actress had always been appealing. But the manifestation of her powers put her career to an early end. When she gets a job at the Company, and becomes involved with the Petrelli family, her life changes forever. A threat from the man she once dated forces Angela Petrelli to send Holly into hiding. This eventually propels her into the not-so-glamorous world of national politics. She thinks she's finally found a place to be happy, but unbeknownst to her, tragedy has again struck the family who has sheltered her. However, she will be one of the last to know...

Thanks for reading my story! I'm always grateful to my readers. You guys are the reason I write! I want to please my fans first! Don't forget to review! I would love to know how I can continue to improve my story. (Also, if you catch any timeline mistakes, POINT THEM OUT! The HEROES timeline is so ambiguous that I'm bound to make a mistake.)

Alright! On to the story! Hope you enjoy it!

_**~Limited Empathy**_

**Social Politics**

Chapter 1 – "Confusion"

So often, it seems we are being carried away into the current of life, with nothing to ground us, nothing to hold on to. Seasons change, time passes, and we survive. And often, we wonder what happened to the person who felt like they were so trapped. We let our guard down, and return to our old habits. Our social worlds change, grow, shrink. And we make decisions based only on our fears of what others might think or do. Sometimes, these very thoughts are what sweep us into that river all over again.

~Mohinder Suresh

(=  
-)

Holly Preston winced as the door slammed behind her. She was jobless yet again. She had been dealing with periodic unemployment for two years now, ever since her ability had manifested and made her life a living hell.

She walked to her car, frustration radiating from her body. "That's the second job this year!" She muttered. Holly's anger began to boil over as she unlocked her door and put the keys in the ignition. "I didn't do anything wrong! I hate this!" She slammed her fist against the steering wheel. Instantly, her hand went to her ears. Had they done it again? Thankfully, they remained unchanged.

It was then that she noticed the man standing behind her car. He was leaning against her back fender, seemingly unaware of her entering the vehicle. Holly rolled down the window and leaned her head out. "Can you move?" She snapped.

He calmly walked around the car to her window. "Actually, Holly, you're the person I need to talk to."

She found herself looking into icy blue eyes behind a pair of horn-rimmed glasses. He was middle aged, with graying hair and a world-weary expression. She didn't know what to say to him. How did he know her name? "I really need to get home." She told him in annoyance.

She reached for the button to roll her window up, but his next words stopped her in her tracks.

"I know about your ability."

"H-how?" Holly stuttered after a long silence.

"I work for a company. It's our job to know." He replied.

Now very frightened, Holly did begin to try and roll up the window, but the man put his hand on the window. "Holly, you're coming with us. Don't make this harder than it has to be."

Holly's eyes widened as her fear grew deeper. She wanted to resist, but her mind was beginning to turn into a fog. The edges of her vision were turning to darkness. She looked around the parking lot, hoping to see someone she could yell to for help. The last thing she saw before the blackness engulfed her was a bald, dark-skinned man staring unwaveringly at her from the car parked facing her own…

(=  
-)

"So you captured her?" Angela Petrelli asked.

Miles away, Noah Bennet stood on a street corner in Trenton, New Jersey, holding a small phone to his ear. The sky was gray and the wind, chilly. He glanced around at the people milling around him. "Of course."

"I think that she would make a good agent." She said. "Unfortunately, Daniel does not agree with me."

"An agent?" Noah asked, raising his voice against a passing truck. A walk sign lit, and he began to cross with the throng. "I thought Linderman said she was dangerous."

"He thinks she is. But, there have been many agents more dangerous than Holly Preston." Angela answered simply. "However, it's not my decision. Call me when you get here."

Noah didn't understand her interest in the woman. "Alright. We'll be there in an hour."

Noah ended the call with a click, and slipped the phone into the pocket of the tan jacket he was wearing. By now, he had walked back to the black SUV where the Haitian waited for him inside. He opened the door and stepped in, then settled himself in the seat. The Haitian watched in silence as Noah started the car and began to pull away from the curb.

"Has she told you why this woman is so important?" The Haitian asked.

Noah shook his head. "If there is anyone in the world that Angela Petrelli will confide in completely, I would be surprised."

A look of understanding passed across the Haitian's face.

Noah lightly applied the break at a red light. "She will always be a mystery."

(=  
-)

Six Months Later

Nathan Petrelli stared out the window of his hospital room. It had only been a few short days since he had been shot at a press conference in Odessa, Texas. He had miraculously survived the attempt on his life. Now, as he surveyed the flat landscape of the west Texas city, he knew that he had been saved for a reason. However, he was now tormented by the presence of someone who had been confirmed dead five months ago. Had Daniel Linderman really just appeared in his room? Was he going insane? Or had the world been mistaken, and Linderman had somehow survived? The voice of a nurse broke his train of thought.

"Mr. Petrelli, Dr. Moncrief is coming to check up on you."

Nathan nodded, running a hand through his dark hair. "Oh, thanks."

She closed the door softly.

Nathan took one last look out over the city. What on Earth was happening to him?

(=  
-)

Holly awoke from her sleep. She blinked, and the room came into sharp focus. She hated the memories that came flooding into her dreams when she slept. The terror of the day she was captured still clouded her mind. She was lying on a bed inside a concrete room that she had lived in for how long, she wasn't exactly sure. There was no way to really gage the passage of time in her cell. Blue fluorescent light streamed from the ceiling, harsh and sterile. One wall of the room was actually a large window, with a door next to it. Outside the window, she could see the man who had been in the parking lot that day, along with an older woman. They were looking at her and talking. She hated it when they made her feel like a caged animal. The man had disapeared for several months, but now seemed to be back. There had been an escape a few days before, unfortunately, it had been on another floor of the facility. She was still locked up.

She heard the sound of a lock being undone, and the door opened. She got to her feet shakily, ready to defend herself as much as she could, though she was still slightly drugged.

The older woman who'd been outside entered the room. Her hair was dark brown, as were her eyes. She wore a charcoal blazer and skirt, pearl earrings, and a pearl necklace. She walked with poise, giving off an air of refinement.

"Hello, Holly." She said.

Holly glared at her. "Who are you? How long have I been here? Why am I so dangerous?!"

"My name is Angela Petrelli. You are a remarkable woman." She said, artfully sidestepping Holly's questions. She walked over to the bed and sat down. "You have a very special ability." She patted the bed next to her, motioning for Holly to join her.

"As I've been told." Holly warily sat down, but stayed far away from her.

"The ability to change form from human to other mammals is truly rare. In fact, the only other known person with this ability is a man from New Jersey named Oliver King."

Holly flinched at the mention of the name.

Angela smiled ever so slightly. "You knew him." She observed.

"That son of a bitch left me at the altar." Holly hissed. The waves of anguish that flooded from her hung in the air.

Angela didn't press the matter further. She had already confirmed her suspicions.

"We are a company that tracks people with abilities. Find them, train them. I know you were fired the day you were brought in. I can offer you a job here, as an agent. No one will question your abilities here."

"Why now?" Holly asked.

"There's been some rearranging of the staff. I'm in charge now, and I believe you are not as dangerous as those previously in charge thought."

"And if I refuse?" Holly asked with an edge in her voice.

"Then we will keep you here, in this cell." Angela said coldly.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

"I'll let you think about it." Angela said finally, rising from the bed and walking to the door. She opened it halfway, then turned to look at Holly again. "You would make an excellent agent."

Holly met her captor's cold eyes for an instant, then Angela left the room.

She sat there on the bed, contemplating the offer. She didn't need much time, though. Her choice was clear.

(=  
-)

In the hall, outside the cell, Noah and Angela walked toward the entrance to the hall.

"You're not telling her everything." Noah observed.

"She can't know until she's proven to us that we can trust her not to go off the deep end." Angela said with a knowing tone.

They reached the door that lead out of the hall. Noah swiped a card and the door opened. "And she won't be angry when we tell her we've been lying to her?"

They exchanged a brief glance. Angela looked away, and then stepped through the open door. "Since when have you been against lying? Like I told you earlier," Angela said, "She's not the agent we will have to worry about."

Noah followed her through, and shut the door behind them. There was a quiet click, as the lock reset itself.

"The agent we WILL have to worry about?" Noah asked, following her through a maze of halls where company men and women worked at their desks. "What did your dreams tell you this time?"

She turned, and stared at her friend, her dark eyes boring into his.

He searched her face for any clue as to what she had seen in her vision, but her calm expression gave nothing away.

"You'll just have to trust me."


	2. Against the Grain

Don't own Hereos.

Please review! Tell me how I'm doing. I take all criticism.

_**~ Limited Empathy**_

**

* * *

**

**Social Politics**

Chapter 2 - "Against the Grain"

Angela sat at her new desk, surrounded by papers, photos, and books. She wondered how Holly's first mission was going. Since HRG had refused to train her, another agent had taken his place. But this was only a passing thought. There were so many things she was worried about. The interference of the future version of her son had thrown her for a loop, and she was very worried about the present version of him. He was trapped in a level 5 escapee! How could she not be worried about him?

And then, there was Sylar, imprisoned on Level 5. He seemed to believe that he was her son. It was a lie. A horrible, twisted, grotesque lie, but it was a necessary evil. If she could just manipulate him to the point of trusting her, perhaps she could turn him into a weapon for the company. And that vision…that awful vision…Peter, Nathan, Claire, and so many others. Sylar was the key. She had to win him over at all costs.

She heard the phone ringing faintly. At first, she hardly paid any attention to it, but as she came out of her thoughts, it became louder, and she picked up the receiver.

"Ma."

"Nathan. It's good to hear from you."

(=  
-)

Nathan sat in a seat on the private jet that had come for him from Washington D.C., the phone at his ear. "Ma, I've been offered the position of Junior Senator of New York."

"That's wonderful, Nathan. I know politics has always been your ambition." Angela said, but there was no hint of excitement in her voice.

"I accepted the offer."

Angela didn't answer.

Nathan knew something was bothering his mother. "What's wrong?" He asked.

Angela paused, and Nathan wondered what was going through her mind.

"I'm just tired. Running the company has been a challenge, recently." She insisted. "Nothing for you to worry about."

Nathan wasn't totally convinced. But, he couldn't focus on his mother's problems at the moment. He had his own to deal with. He sighed. "Okay, well, I just wanted to tell you the news."

"I'm proud of you, Nathan." She said.

Nathan couldn't help but smile a bit. "Thanks. Bye, ma."

He shut the phone and turned to the flight attendant. "You don't have any scotch, do you?"

"I'd have to see, Mr. Petrelli." She said, and walked away.

He leaned back into the chair, staring at the curved ceiling of the plane. He let his hand fall over the side of the chair, the phone still clutched tightly. Suddenly, He felt the presence of another beside him.

"You know, I think it's strange that your mother wouldn't tell you what was wrong."

Nathan's head swung around, and he found none other than Daniel Linderman sitting in the seat beside him. "Why won't you leave me alone?" He asked, rubbing his temple in frustration.

"I think you made the right decision. Washington will welcome a forward thinker like yourself." Linderman said in his smooth voice.

"And I guess you're still not going to tell me how that woman wasn't Niki Sanders?" Nathan said sharply.

Linderman smiled. "She's not Niki, nor was she ever. You're just going to have to accept that fact. You need to trust me more."

"I don't think I can put much stock in a dead man."Nathan huffed.

The flight attendant returned. "Yes, we have some, Mr. Petrelli." She said, her red hair bobbing in the playful up-do she wore. "Do you want ice in it?"

"Yes, please." Nathan said.

She disappeared behind the curtain again, and Nathan turned back to Linderman, but found the chair empty. There were so many unanswered questions. Would they ever be resolved?

"And what about Peter?" He asked himself. He hadn't heard from him since he'd visited him in the hospital. But that wasn't his brother. It was some skewed future version of him. Where was HIS Peter? He absentmindedly rubbed the phone, trying to decide whether or not to try calling him. Finally, he flipped open the phone and dialed Peter's number.

After a few rings, he heard Peter's voice, nonchalantly instructing to leave him a message.

"Hey Peter, it's Nathan. I just wanted to make sure things were okay. Call me back."

Nathan closed the phone, and slid down in the chair. He slipped the phone into the pocket of his suit and covered his face with his hand. He felt so stressed, and there was nothing he could do. Things were happening so fast. What would be next?

(=  
-)

Holly never expected to be right in the middle of the hunt for the Level 5 escapees. But here she was, with her new partner, sitting in a car, with a house in Brooklyn under surveillance. Her partner was a young, black haired man with cold green eyes. His name was simply "Speares." She could tell he didn't trust her.

Angela had explained the different levels of containment at the Company. For six months, she had been kept on Level 4. Speares obviously knew that, and was leary of her. Holly's pride wouldn't let her give him the satisfaction of acting so high and mighty around her.

"So, what can this guy do again?" She asked.

Speares glared at her.

"Oh, come on. You can't treat me like I'm some sort of alien."

"No, I can't. However, I can treat you like the rookie you are. Keep your mouth shut and we'll probably get along much better." He hissed.

"I can shapeshift into animals." She said flatly. "You're a company agent. I'd think you'd be used to this by now."

Spears answered with a grunt and turned his attention back to the house.

"You know, we're not getting anywhere with this. Why can't I just shapeshift and canvas the house for you?" Holly suggested.

"Because that's not how it works." He said, annoyance creeping into his voice. "No abilities until necessary."

There was a soft buzzing, and Speares answered his cell phone.

Holly looked out the window, irritated by the lack of respect she was getting from him. Hadn't Angela said that her abilities would not be questioned in this job? And the lack of action bothered her even more.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore, and opened the door and stepped out.

Speares tried to grab for her arm to stop her, but he grasped the air. Holly had already taken the form of a brown tabby cat. She stalked through down the sidewalk to the red-brick house they were watching.

Spears watched helplessly as she rounded the house and disappeared from sight.

(=  
-)

Holly jumped from a potted plant to the wood fence that surrounded the tiny backyard. She lept down onto the grass and crept up to the window. Peering in, she could see that there had been no activity in the house recently. There was a glass on the counter in the kitchen, and the remote controls were still on the couch, but both items still had a fine layer of dust on them. She listened hard, concentrating on the sounds inside the house. Even with her ear pressed to the glass, she heard nothing. There was no one inside.

Satisfied with her results, she lopped to a hole in the fence and crawled through.

Speares was waiting for her when she returned, a furious look on his face.

"What the hell were you doing?!" He spat, opening the door for her.

She crawled back into the dress she had been wearing and painfully transformed back to her dark-haired self.

"There's no one in the house." Holly said flatly. "We can go. We're wasting our time."

(=  
-)

Angela stared right at Holly. "I can't have you disregarding Company policy like that." She said.

They were the only people in Angela's office.

"He was getting nowhere." Holly said in defense. "You should be thanking me for ending a pointless mission."

Angela stood from her chair behind the mahogany desk and sighed. "That arrogance of yours will get you into trouble someday."

Their eyes met, both women trying to read the other.

Angela knew that the best way to get through to Holly was to show her what else was out there. She obviously didn't understand why the Level 5 detainees were so dangerous. She opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out a plastic card. "You don't seem to understand why the policy is what it is. Come with me. I want to show you something."

Holly rose and followed Angela out the door of her office. Why was Angela so difficult? It would be so much easier to capture the fugitives if they used their resources in a more effective way.

They passed a checkpoint with an armed guard. He acknowledged them with a nod as they passed.

They reached the end of a concrete hall, lit by the same fluorescent lights that had been in Holly's cell, giving the hall a blue cast. Angela swiped the card through a reader, and there was a slight click. The door opened slightly, and Angela pushed it open further.

Inside, the hall was very similar to the hall where Holly's cell had been. One side made of the same concrete that everything else seemed to be made of, and the other lined with large glass windows and doors next to them.

Angela walked forward while Holly hung back, still uncertain about being back in the prison. She turned, and raised an eyebrow.

Holly flinched. Why did it always feel like she could see right through you? She met Angela in front of the last cell on the hall.

"This is why we have the policy we do." She said, and pointed into the cell. "People like Sylar are what you are dealing with out there." She swiped the card at the door and pulled it open. "Come in with me."

Sylar. Holly had heard that name before. Wasn't it a type of watch? Now that she thought about it, she'd heard some of the agents talking about his capture.

But as Holly entered the room and saw the figure of the man lying strapped to the table, she couldn't hold back a gasp.

Angela seemed pleased that the gravity of the situation was sinking in, but immediately, she realized she was wrong.

"Gabriel?" She whispered, her eyes wide in shock.

At this, Angela's face turned to shock as well.

Holly was already at his side, removing the nasal tube that fed him the drugs to keep him subdued.

Angela started to stop her. "Holly, n-." But she stopped herself. Perhaps she should see how things were going to play out.

Sylar's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?" He mumbled.

"Gabriel? Gabriel, it's me, Holly! You remember, right?"

"You two know each other." Angela said, trying to not to sound surprised.

Holly clasped Sylar's hand in hers. "Yes. We went to high school together!" She looked down at Sylar's face. "Gabriel! Where have you been? I haven't seen you in twelve years!"

Sylar appeared to be coming out of his stupor. "No, I think you're forgetting a few details." He said darkly.

Angela watched the exchange in puzzlement.

"You abandoned me!" He hissed, his voice regaining more strength.

"No, you abandoned me!" Holly exclaimed. "You disappeared! I had no idea where you'd gone! How did I abandon YOU?"

"You could have come! You just didn't want to!" He said accusingly. Suddenly, Holly felt herself lift from the ground. The next thing she knew, she was lying on the floor in incredible pain. He'd thrown her into the wall without ever even touching her!

"Enough, Gabriel!" Angela commanded. She was already replacing the tube in his nose.

"I'll kill you." Sylar hissed. "For what you did."

The drugs began to work again, and he rapidly fell back into a comatose state.

Holly pulled herself up from the floor, holding her arm. Her eyes betrayed a mixture of physical pain and fear.

Angela guided her out of the cell, contemplating this new development. She couldn't have Sylar focused on revenge. She needed him focused on pleasing her.

"Come on, Holly." She said in her most motherly tone. "Let's get that arm looked at. Then I want you to explain what just happened."


	3. Dysfunction

Once again, I don't own Heroes. Please review! I haven't gotten one yet, and I really want to know how I'm doing!

_**~ Limited Empathy**_

_**

* * *

  
**_

**Social Politics**

**Chapter 3 - "Dysfunction"**

After the company physician put Holly's arm in a sling to help it heal from the sprain, Angela took her back to her office. She had her sit down at a small table in front of a large arched window. Angela sat down across from her.

Holly looked out over the sweeping lawn. The Primatech Research building was beautiful, but she couldn't fully enjoy it. Not now.

"Holly?" Angela said, calling her out of her thoughts. "I need you to explain to me why Sylar wants you dead. He tried to kill you down there, and he probably would have if I hadn't been there."

Holly remained silent for a few seconds, still staring out the window.

"Holly." Angela prompted.

Holly sighed. "We've known each other since junior high. I guess that's where I should start. I remember meeting him on a field trip.

"He was new, and had been assigned to our group on a trip to the Museum of Natural History. He was so awkward and goofy. He had these big glasses and a lot of the kids made fun of him.

"While we were there, a few of my friends got it into their heads to take his glasses and put them on a posed horse. Samantha snuck up behind him and took them off of his face. Next, she gave them to Allie who gave them to me to put on the horse. But I had a better idea. I ran straight for the lobby as soon as our chaperone wasn't looking and threw the glasses up onto the giant T-Rex skeleton. The caught on one of the teeth and hung there. The kids who saw it knew exactly whose glasses they were, and they laughed hysterically.

"But the three of us were in big trouble. Allie, Samantha, and I all had detention for a week!" She smiled, as if enjoying some long forgotten memory.

"Well, you certainly weren't kind to him." Angela said. "What about high school? How did you two get involved?"

"Well, we started dating our junior year of high school. We'd finally resolved our differences and become friends the year before. He asked me to the homecoming dance that year, and I was in the homecoming court. According to a few of his friends, he felt there was a very special connection between us, and after a few weeks of his friends' 'encouragement,' he asked me. He was my first true love."

Angela looked sympathetic to Holly's story, but did not say anything.

"Before long, we had graduated and gone off to college. We were both at NYU, me to get into acting and film, and Gabriel was in the medical school to be a neuroscientist. But during our second semester, he just vanished. I knew he had been struggling financially, and his mother could no longer afford to pay for college for him, but we'd talked and he was going to apply for student loans. I never expected him to just leave."

"And did you look for him?" Angela asked.

"Of course! But he had just fallen off the face of the planet. He didn't even tell his mom where he went." Holly said.

Angela nodded and rose from her seat. "I see." She walked from the window back to her desk where she sat down. "I have plans for Sylar. So, until we can figure out what to do about the current situation, I'm going to take you off of the Level 5 cases."

"I don't understand. You said I would make a good agent! This isn't about earlier is it?" Holly protested.

Angela looked at the clock on her desk. It was well after ten-thirty. She sighed. "No, Holly. I KNOW you will make a fine agent when the time comes. But for now, Sylar is my first priority. I don't want him hurting you."

"So, until things are resolved…."Holly started.

Angela cut her off. "You will be reassigned soon. However, I suggest you go home and get some sleep. Rest that arm of yours. We'll contact you when we're ready for you to come back."

(=

-)

Holly returned to the small apartment the Company had provided for her. It only had one bedroom, a small living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. There was the basic furniture, but the walls were bare. The apartment lacked any kind of feeling of home. She wondered why they had decided to house her in Brooklyn, versus housing her in Hartsdale, close to the Company. But at this point, she was too troubled to care.

"What happened to him?" She asked herself as she stripped away the black pants and blazer she wore to work. "How could he do that to me?" She was struggling even more with the old feelings seeing him again had dredged up. But they were dampened by the memory of him hurling her against the wall.

_He tried to kill you down there._

Angela's words echoed in her mind, and she shivered. When had Gabriel turned from awkward geek to killer? How could he be a killer? Her mind tumbled from question to question as she slipped on a cami and a pair of fuzzy pajama pants. She climbed into bed, and turned off the light.

After a few minutes of lying in the dark, staring at the ceiling, and not being able to quite her mind, Holly rose and grabbed a coat. She wrapped it around her shoulders and stepped out onto her balcony. The air was cold, nearly sucking the breath out of her as it touched her bare feet. The city throbbed with nightlife, cars on the freeways, people coming home from a night out. She could see the New York skyline, and it made her feel homesick for her childhood home. But, for now, she would have to stay in Brooklyn. From what she was learning, The Company was not an organization to be crossed, and would track her if she were to make a run for it. It just made more sense to stay where she was and see how things played out.

(=

-)

"If the senator designate will present himself at the desk, the chair will administer the oath of office, as required by the Constitution, and prescribed by law."

The Vice President's words rang out through the Senate chamber. Nathan stood, and looked around the room. He was aware of the stares he was receiving from the other senators. After all, he had been in the news a lot in the past months; winning the New York election by a landslide, only to give up his seat, being shot and miraculously surviving, and only days later, the senatorial nomination. That's what they were thinking about. He was Nathan Petrelli – Miracle Man.

As he walked down the center isle to the desk, he was able to take in the whole scene. Vice President Johnson was watching him with an unreadable expression. The vaulted ceiling seemed to amplify the whispers to a dull roar. He focused on the blue carpet. Where was his ability to forget his nerves now? Finally, he found himself on the right side of the desk, where Johnson waited for him. Now it was time to act confident. He forced the famous Petrelli smile as the Vice President stood before him.

"Please raise your right hand."

Nathan followed Johnson's instruction, a little excitement fluttering inside him, despite all that had been weighing him down lately.

"Do you solemnly swear that you will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that you will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that you take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that you will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which you are about to enter. So help you God?"

"I do." Nathan said.

Johnson smiled. "Congratulations, Mr. Petrelli."

The two men shook hands as a polite, though half-hearted applause filled the room. As Nathan turned back to the rest of the senators, he searched the gallery above. There was his mother, a proud smile on her face. Next to her, however, a seat remained empty. As he walked back to his seat, he looked around the rest of the gallery. Where was Tracy? As his assistant, shouldn't she be there? Looking back at his mom, he saw something that made him sick. There, next to his mother in the empty seat, sat Linderman, clapping slowly and smiling almost like a proud father. Nathan hurriedly took his seat, wanting nothing more than to avoid Linderman's scheming gaze.

Peter had also been absent, and after the phone call he had received the night before, it was no surprise. Nathan had always hoped that Peter would attend his swearing in, whether to the House, or Senate, or wherever. But, circumstance kept that from happening. "If only things could just get back to normal…" Nathan thought, then looked to the ceiling and closed his eyes for a moment. "I hope you're watching over him." He prayed silently.

(=

-)

Holly flipped off the TV. There was never anything to watch during the day. The swearing in of Senator Petrelli, who she had learned was Angela's son, was interesting, but now that it was over, she had nothing to do. Her mind was still troubled over the events of the previous night, but her confusion had turned to fear.

She jumped as the voice of Avril Lavigne singing "Mobile" filled the apartment. She took a breath to calm herself down, the picked her phone up.

"Hello?"

"Holly, good. I was hoping you would answer. I need you to go to the airport and take the next flight to Washington D.C." Angela said.

Holly was completely confused. "Why?" She asked.

"Just do it." Angela's voice was stern. "I have a plan to keep you safe, but we have to act now."

"And what about a ticket?"

"Speares will meet you there with it. And some clothes. I'll meet you at the airport in Washington."

Holly sighed. "Alright. How long do I have?"

"The next flight leaves in an hour. Don't pack anything, just go to the airport. And don't take a car."

Holly opened her mouth to protest, but Angela had already hung up. "Don't take a car?" She muttered to herself. "Does she want me to fly there like a bat?"

(=

-)

It was early afternoon when Holly's plane touched down in Washington. Without any bags to pick up, Holly was free to hurry to passenger pick up.

Angela was waiting for her, a long gray coat wrapped around her narrow figure. She had a very serious look on her face. "There's a limo waiting." She said simply.

Holly followed her as she walked briskly out of the large glass doors to a waiting limousine. The driver, an older man with a receding hairline held the door open for them. Once inside, Angela rolled the window between the front and back compartments.

Holly felt the vehicle begin to move, and her heart began to race. What was about to happen?

Angela smiled briefly. "Your ears are showing."

Holly's hands flew to her head. Sure enough, her ears had become fuzzy and pointed. She closed her eyes, and tried to quite her growing anxiety. After a few breaths, her ears returned to normal, and she apologized. "I haven't lost control in a while."

Angela looked at her, understanding in her eyes. "Our abilities take time to be completely mastered. Especially when we don't know our full potential."

There was a silence for a few moments. Holly opened her mouth, but Angela spoke first.

"I know you want to know why I brought you here."

Holly nodded.

"I've come up with a plan to keep you safe from Sylar, but it's going to require you to use your ability. I need you to take the form of a cat. Any cat will do, however, Nathan likes shorthairs over longhairs, so take that in mind."

Holly suddenly realized what she meant. "Wait, you mean I'm going to be hiding with Senator Petrelli as his pet?"

"Only temporarily. Once Sylar has been successfully rehabilitated, you will be free to come out of hiding." Angela explained.

"Does your son know?"

Angela avoided Holly's gaze. "No. And he can't find out. The less people that know where you are, the better." She paused, as if waiting for something.

The driver rolled down the window. "We're here, Mrs. Petrelli."

"Thank you, Jim." She said. The window rolled back up. "Are you ready?"

Holly nodded nervously. She wasn't sure if she was okay with living with a man she'd never met, even if he wouldn't know she was anything more than an ordinary cat.

The limo door opened, and Jim was standing there, ready to help them out.

They were in the parking lot of a very upscale condo complex. Angela motioned for her to follow, and led her through a glass revolving door. Inside, the floor was laid with marble tile, and the walls were painted a dark red. Modern furniture and fixtures filled the lobby. Angela walked to a pair of elevators. When the doors opened, she walked in, followed by Holly. Quickly, she pressed the close doors button before anyone else could board.

"Okay. Transform now." She said calmly.

Holly sighed and closed her eyes. She pictured a gray tabby in her mind. She felt the familiar stabs of pain shoot through her arms and legs, then course through her entire body. She gritted her teeth against it. Then it was all over. What had seemed like minutes had only taken a few seconds. She crawled out from under her clothes and looked up at Angela through her green eyes.

Angela scooped up the clothes and stuffed them in her oversized purse, then lifted Holly up into her arms. And carried her out of the elevator as the doors opened to reveal a long corridor with two doors on opposite ends of the hall, and on opposite walls. Angela headed for the door to the right of the landing.

The door was a dark wood, most likely cherry, and the condo number was spelled out in iron on it. 6A. This was the apartment of Nathan Petrelli.

Angela rapped softly on the door and waited.

Holly could hear the sound of heavy footsteps inside. He was tired, by the sound of it.

When the door opened, she found herself staring into the brown eyes of the freshman senator.

"Mom." He said in surprise. "I didn't know you were coming over."

"I brought you a gift to celebrate." Angela said with a smile. "Washington will get lonely." She handed the gray bundle to Nathan.

Nathan took Holly into his arms, and scratched her head. "It's cute." He said with a smile. He stepped backwards to let her in, but she stayed where she was.

"Are you not coming in?" He asked.

"I have business back in New York to take care of." She answered.

"Oh." Nathan sighed. "What's the cat's name?"

Angela looked knowingly at the cat. "Holly. Her name is Holly."

"Holly." Nathan repeated. "Okay." He looked lovingly at his mother. "Thanks, ma."

Angela smiled and turned back down the hall. Nathan stepped out and stopped her. "You…haven't heard from Peter, have you?" He asked a worried note in his voice.

A shadow of concern passed over Angela's face. "No. No, I haven't."


	4. Step Into the Unknown

Heroes still isn't mine. Holly is. Blah blah blah. I'm tired. Please review. Still haven't had any yet.

_**~Limited Empathy**_

_**

* * *

  
**_

**Social Politics**

**Chapter 4 - "Step Into the Unknown"**

Nathan stroked Holly's head. "You're a cute kitty. Where did she find you?" He set her down on the floor.

Holly padded away from him, taking in her surroundings. Unlike the modern design of the lobby, the condo had a northern charm to it. The walls were a soft yellow, and the floors a dark hardwood.

There was a knock at the door. Nathan answered, while Holly examined the cream couches. She jumped up on one and watched Nathan as he accepted a few bags from a worker.

So this was Nathan Petrelli. Holly couldn't help but feel a bit star-struck. He was the most important person she had met in her life. And yet, in this apartment, were a few mementos of a very human life. She noticed a picture frame on the glass coffee table between the couch and a small entertainment center. The picture inside looked worn – it had definitely seen better days. She recognized Nathan, several years younger and smiling a rougish smile. He was dressed in a tux, but the bow-tie had been undone and hung from his neck. His arm was around a man he had never seen before. Younger, with a kind light in his eyes, he was a far cry from the edgy future senator next to him. There was a family resemblance between them, and Holly figured that this must be a cousin or other relative. She jumped onto the glass table to get a closer look at the picture.

"No, no no no no no. Not on the table!"

Holly jumped at the sound of his voice. Nathan hurried to the table and lifted her off then deposited her on the ground. She gazed up at him. The expression he wore made her want to laugh. He was halfway between annoyance and laughter, and both seemed to be fighting for dominance. Holly let out a quite meow, and Nathan couldn't help but smile.

He walked to the kitchen, where he had left the bags on the dark granite counters. Upon opening the first bag, he found an envelope with his name written on it in Angela's handwriting. Nathan pulled out the papers inside. The first was a short note from his mother.

Holly padded across the tile and stopped at Nathan's feet.

He read through the note, then spent a few moments thumbing through the other papers. "Looks like you've already had all your shots, and been spayed. Guess that means all I have to do is make sure I take care of you from now on."

He set down the papers on the counter, and took a gray and blue litter box from the bag. He looked around the kitchen, trying to decide on a good place for it. Finally, he decided on a corner beside the trashcan. Next, he poured some litter in. "Alright, Holly. This is your litter box. Ma didn't send any food up, so I'll pick some up on my way back." He walked from the kitchen to the door. "Don't get into trouble while I'm gone." He opened the door and closed it softly behind him after stepping out, then pulled out a pair of keys from his pocket and locked it.

He didn't quite understand his mother's motive behind giving him the cat. She never did anything without a reason, and he got this odd feeling that the cat was more aware than most. He made a mental note to ask Angela about it as he called his driver and told him to meet him in the parking lot.

(=

-)

Noah could hardly believe how crazy his day had been. Not only had Angela seen fit to pair him with Sylar as a partner, but Sylar had saved his life. Angela believed that there was hope for him, but Bennet wasn't so sure. He thought about voicing his concern again to Angela, but he knew she wouldn't budge. They were walking away from the door that led to Level 5.

"You and Sylar did well today." Angela praised him.

Noah remained silent.

Angela glanced at him for a moment, then turned her attention back down the winding corridor. "Holly is hidden safely. She left today on a plane."

"What about Nathan?"

"He was great. I was very proud of him."

They stopped outside of the door to Angela's office. "Bring Ando and Hiro up here. I need to speak with them." She opened the door, and stepped inside.

Noah nodded. The door closed as he walked away. Once again, she was hiding things, but since it was Sylar they were protecting Holly from, and Sylar he was working with, he couldn't blame her for her silence on the subject.

(=

-)

Holly stared awkwardly at the litter box. It had not occurred to her that she would really have to live like a cat. "I'm not using that!" She thought to herself. "There's a bathroom for humans here, and I'm using it."

Later, she continued her exploration of the penthouse. Nathan's bedroom was just off the kitchen. The room was carpeted in a cream color. Holly padded around the bed, taking in everything. The bed was a simple one. The headboard and footboards were both made of a dark wood to match the floors in the rest of the apartment. The bedspread was blue, with a modern design; a large, darker blue rectangle in the center. She leapt up onto the bed. Nathan's nightstand had a lamp and alarm clock on it, but nothing else. An empty bookcase stood on one side of a large curtained window, and on the other side, in the corner, a desk sat with a laptop charging on it. The curtains on one side were pulled back, and she could see the sun setting over the Potomac.

Holly sighed. The view was amazing, but it reminded her of the view in New York. She looked down at her gray paws. "So much has changed…"She whispered, though it came out as a low meow. She couldn't believe how much had happened in only twenty-four hours. And suddenly, she was feeling it. Fatigue overcame her. She made herself comfortable on the bed and fell asleep.

(=

-)

Nathan watched as Tracy strode out of his office. How could she resign? How come he felt so powerless to stop her? He heard the sound of something hitting his desk, and whirled around. Linderman was sitting in his chair, his feet propped up on the desk. He wore a knowing look that sent chills up Nathan's spine.

"You must pray for guidance. This is your path. You're just going to have to trust me, Nathan. You must help her." He said.

Nathan looked at him, confused. "What do you mean? Help her?"

"She's suffering. Something is bothering her, and it looks like it's something that's driven her to the edge."

Nathan gave him a hard stare. "She looked fine to me. I think she just needs to take a break and sort things out for herself."

"Don't take that stance. You can bury your head in the sand and live with the consequences, or you can do something. And don't think I haven't seen how you look at her." Linderman said forcefully.

Nathan looked as if he wanted to say something, but Linderman went on. "She's in trouble, and it's up to you to save her."

After a few moments, Nathan spoke. " And what am I supposed to do?"

"Well, I would suggest going after her. She's going to do something drastic, and you don't want any more publicity than you've already gotten lately."

Nathan hesitated for a moment, then grabbed his jacket off of the wall hanger by the door and tore out of the office. He stopped at the security guard on the front steps of the building. "The blond woman." He gasped. "Tracy. Did you see where she went?"

"Our Valet brought her car. She drove west, toward the river." The officer said.

Nathan thanked him and hurried off down Constitution Avenue.

"You won't catch her on foot, Senator Petrelli!" The officer called after him.

Nathan slowed. He was right. He stepped into the shadows. A sense of dread was eating at him. The river? But she said she lived east of the capitol! Then it hit him. Linderman had said she was going to do something drastic! There was nothing else he could do but fly. He had no choice, and despite the nagging feeling that he was doing something he shouldn't, he launched himself into the sky over the capitol complex.

The sun had almost set completely. The horizon was still tinted with the last of the sun's fiery light. The cold march air stung his face as Nathan raced toward the river. He saw the bridge, and as he got closer, the car parked on the shoulder. Suddenly, Tracy's figure came into sharp focus. She was standing on the edge. She took a slow step forward.

"No!" Nathan shouted and dove after her.

Tracy plummeted toward the river, her eyes closed, tears tricking from her eyes.

"Tracy!" Nathan shouted. She looked up, and he felt his arms wrap around her. He scooped her up, and carried her away from the dark waters that were only feet away.

Tracy clutched at him, her entire body shaking. As he flew away from the river, he heard her whisper to him. "Thank you."

Nathan looked toward the sky for a moment, his breaths coming in short gasps. There was a reason he had met her. To save her.

"Where are we going?" She managed to ask, her voice shaking.

"Back to the Dirksen. My driver will take us back to my apartment." Nathan answered in a soothing voice.

"Okay." She whispered. She was crying.

Nathan set his feet down on the side of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, away from the road.

Tracy took a week step, but her legs faltered.

"Whoa, easy." He said, steadying her. "Come on." He pulled out his cell phone. "Meet us in front of the building."

(=

-)

Holly was vaguely aware of the door closing. She lifted her head from the soft fabric, and heard Nathan's voice.

"Come to the kitchen for a second."

Holly pricked her ears. There were two sets of footsteps heading toward her. She stood and stretched, her mouth open in a wide yawn. Then, she jumped off the bed and padded into the kitchen.

Nathan saw her emerge. "Oh, I forgot to get cat food!" He said. He turned to Tracy. "Hold on a sec. My mom gave me a cat as a gift earlier, and I haven't fed her yet."

Tracy managed a smile. "She's pretty."

Nathan opened the door of his pantry and retrieved a can of tuna. After opening it, he placed it on the ground next to Holly's food bowl. "Here you go, Holly." He gave her head a brief stroke.

"You don't have any scotch, do you?" Tracy asked.

"Actually, I do. It's in the refrigerator." He said. "The glasses are in the cabinet."

Tracy busied herself with the drink. Holly was watching them. Nathan placed his palms on the dark granite counter and leaned against it, letting out a long sigh. Then, he turned around and walked out of the kitchen toward the couch.

Tracy followed him, two glasses in her hands. "Drink?" She asked.

Nathan turned at the sound of her voice. "Yeah."

Holly watched them, interested in what would happen next, but tempted by the smell of the tuna.

"Yeah." Nathan said, accepting the glass from Tracy. After a few awkward moments, Nathan spoke again. "You okay?"

Tracy didn't answer immediately. She gave Nathan an annoyed look. "No." She answered.

Finally, Holly couldn't wait any more. She was starving, and she daintily lapped at the tuna. It had a fishy flavor, with a slight tang. She had forgotten how much she liked tuna. Or maybe that was just the fact that she was a cat influencing her. No, she did not pick up on the behaviors of the animals when she shifted. But the taste did bring a memory to her mind, unbidden. She was no longer paying any attention to either of the others in the house. She was lost in her own memory.

Holly was sitting on the bank of a river on a towel. She was wearing nothing but a bikini and a pair of sunglasses. In the river, several of her friends splashed around.

"Come on Holly! The water is fine!" A girl called to her.

The boy next to her shouted as well. "This is the last summer we get to spend together, don't ruin it!"

Holly laughed, and brushed a lock of her dark hair behind her ear. "I'm waiting for Gabriel! He's bringing food, and I'm starving!"

"Well, I'm here!"

Holly sprang to her feet. "Gabriel!" She threw his arms around his neck.

"You were waiting for the food?" He asked, smiling.

Holly adjusted his glasses playfully. "I heard your mom was making tuna salad for us. No way I'm not getting the first bite!"

Gabriel laughed and set a bright red cooler and a plastic bag down beside him. "Alright. Plates and forks are in the bag. Tuna's in the cooler, blue tub."

"Are you not going to eat with me?" She asked with a mock-sad tone.

"Nope. I'm going to swim first. It's hot out here, and I just carried that stuff half a mile from the cars!" He pressed his glasses into her hands, ripped off his shirt, and dove head first into the water.

"Gabriel!" One of the teens yelled when his dive resulted in her being splashed in the face.

Holly laughed as she opened the cooler. She'd had Mrs. Gray's tuna salad before, and it was amazing. She found the blue tub Gabriel had mentioned and forked out some of the cold treat. She sat down on her towel and enjoyed the warm air and tuna.

Holly suddenly couldn't eat anymore of the tuna. The memory had upset her enough to make her lose her appetite. She could hear Nathan and Tracy talking on the couch. She decided to join them, and left the kitchen. As she came into the room, she saw something amazing.

Tracy placed her hand on Nathan's glass. Suddenly, the glass became frosted, and Nathan quickly set the glass down on the glass coffee table. It was now too cold to hold on to.

Holly's eyes widened. "She's like me!" She thought. She knew there were others with abilities out there, but it was always a slight shock to meet them.

Tracy looked fearfully at Nathan.

Nathan started to say something, but stopped. He looked from her, to the glass, then back to her. He took her hands in his. "Your hands," He said, and then paused. "They aren't even cold."

Tracy gazed at him, a spark of admiration in her eyes.

Holly wondered what had happened earlier. She seemed scared. Her ability seemed to scare her, too. She couldn't blame her. Her own ability had scared her at first, too.

Nathan met Tracy's eyes and smiled a bit.

Tracy leaned forward, and kissed Nathan. He returned the advance, obviously taken by her.

Holly felt awkward. This was something she shouldn't be witnessing. And as far as Nathan knew, she was just a cat, not a human being. She knew that both of them wouldn't have done this had she been human. She backtracked into the kitchen, then into Nathan's bedroom. She crawled under the bed to hide. Having to live like a cat, Gabriel's strange behavior; it was all too much for her. She curled up and tucked her nose under her tail. Maybe a peaceful night's sleep would help to straighten things out.

But several minutes later, she heard the sound of footsteps. Two sets. It was Tracy and Nathan. Both were breathing hard, and she could hear the sounds of them still kissing. She let out a low hiss of annoyance, and slinked out of her hiding place. She sought solace on the couch. The door to Nathan's bedroom closed, but her sensitive ears could still hear them. She buried her head under a pillow on the couch and finally fell asleep.


	5. Perspective

Hey there! Sorry for the wait for a new chapter! I've been super busy with work and my summer classes and transferring to another college and whatnot. Here's chapter 5, and guess what. Peter FINALLY appears! XD

_**~Limited Empathy**_

* * *

**Social Politics**

**Chapter 5 - "Perspective"**

It was the sound of soft footsteps that woke Holly from her sleep. She could hear the soft hiss of rain against the large windows in the living room. The faint light from the street below filtered in and bathed the room in a soft blue. The footsteps were coming from the kitchen. Holly jumped quietly from her perch on the couch. A voice in her head told her that it wasn't her business, but the truth was she just wanted to know.

As she padded into the kitchen, she saw Nathan reaching for the handle on the refrigerator. He opened the fridge, and when he closed it, he had a bottle of milk.

Holly caught the sudden look of horror in his eyes. She whirled around, not knowing what to expect, but dreading what she might find. Her heart and mind racing, she faced the threat. However, she was unprepared for what she found. She was looking at nothing at all.

She looked back at Nathan, who was now shaking his head slightly, as if trying to answer some unknown question. "Drink?" He asked, holding out the bottle of milk.

Holly wasn't sure if he was talking to her, since he was not looking at her at all.

"That's right. Because you aren't really here, are you?" He advanced a few steps, pointing his finger at nothing.

Holly shrank back, not sure what to make of what she was seeing. Angela hadn't mentioned that her son was insane!

There was a pause, then in a threatening tone, Nathan continued. "You know what would make me happy? Some straight answers. Like how you knew she was in trouble." He motioned past the kitchen to the bedroom where Tracy was still asleep. "You said she needed my help; that she was my path. Next think I know she's taking a header into the Potomac."

Holly was stunned. "Tracy tried to commit suicide?" She thought in alarm. "Did Nathan rescue her?"

There was a long pause, and Nathan looked down, a confused expression on his face. He turned, his back to whatever he was seeing. "You're not a messenger from God."

Now Holly was scared. Who was he talking to? What was he seeing?

Another pause. "And I've got a dead mobster telling me he's the voice of God."

Holly watched as Nathan's face darkened. She heard the sound of more footsteps.

"Nathan?" Came Tracy's voice. "Who are you talking to?"

"Nobody." Nathan answered, his voice betraying his guilt. This wasn't something he had wanted her to see. "Just clearing my head."

Holly crept out of the kitchen, back to her spot on the couch. "What was Angela thinking?! Sending me here to live with a crazy person?" She heard Nathan reassuring Tracy that everything was alright, then the sound of a door closing. But only Tracy had returned to the bedroom.

Nathan appeared around the corner. He was dressed only in a white shirt and light blue boxers. The dark brown in his eyes was turned to black in the dim light, and the light from the window reflected sharply in them. He stood in front of the window, looking out into the dreary night. Water splashed on the window as the rain came down harder. A weak flash of lightning lit up the room momentarily, silhouetting him in the window.

Holly was careful not to call attention to herself, but Nathan turned and saw her. "Did I wake you up?" He asked quietly and sat down next to her.

Holly tried to escape, but he caught her and held her in his lap. "I'm sorry. It's just…" He paused. "It's just that I keep seeing a man who's supposed to be dead. I wonder if I'm crazy… there're so many things in this world that I just can't explain anymore." He stroked Holly's head, and even though she was still wary, she relaxed a bit. "He claims he's God's messenger. He's not. Why would God speak through a dead man?" He ran his other hand through his hair. "I don't know what to do anymore."

Holly could feel his confusion and fear. She decided to stop squirming. He needed something right now that Tracy couldn't give - the comfort of someone, or well, something that wouldn't judge him. She attempted to purr, but it only came out as a strangled cough. Apparently, purring was something she would have to learn. Instead, she curled up in Nathan's lap.

Nathan smiled. "Maybe you're not such an out of the ordinary gift after all." He scratched her behind the ears absentmindedly, and looked out the window into the storm. "Washington would get lonely without someone to talk to…"

(=

-)

Something was wrong. Angela could feel it. It was barely seven-thirty in the morning, but she was already up and about, seeing to the paperwork that needed completion for the day. But, the feeling kept nagging at her. Finally, she decided to get up and walk, move, anything to clear her thoughts. Before she knew it, her feet had brought her to the entrance to Level 5. Noah was there, about to swipe his access card.

"Angela." He said as the door clicked open.

"I assume you're going to get Sylar for your next assignment."

Noah nodded. There was a worried look on his face.

"Noah?" She prompted. "Is there something wrong?"

"It's Claire. She's run off. Sandra called earlier this morning asking if I had heard from her."

"And yet you are here, still doing your job."

"This is NOT my job. I told you, I'm only here until those monsters are locked up."

Angela flashed him a sympathetic and yet knowing smile. She stepped past him and pushed the door open. She was the first to hear the yelling.

"I will NEVER be like you!"

Angela froze. "Peter." She whispered. Relief flooded her body. He was safe. But what was he doing in Level 5?

"What's he doing in Sylar's cell?" Noah asked, almost passing by her.

She didn't let him. "Let me handle this." She said, then quickly walked down the hall to Sylar's holding cell. She gasped at what she saw. Peter was holding Sylar against a wall by the neck, choking him! Suddenly, she heard Peter's voice again.

"NO!"

She almost swung herself around the stair railing, and down the stairs to the door. She forced it open and rushed in. There was a sickening snap, and Sylar fell to the floor, his neck broken.

"Peter, stop!" Angela cried. "You don't know what you're-"

Peter raised his hand and grabbed her neck telekinetically, cutting her off.

"You don't know what you're doing." She gasped.

Peter advanced on her, anger blazing in his eyes. "I know _exactly_ what I'm doing."

Angela watched her son nervously. What had happened to her Peter?

"When were you going to tell me that Sylar was my brother?!" He demanded. "What other secrets are you hiding from me, Mother?" He circled around her as she remained silent. "TELL ME YOUR SECRETS! Or I'll rip open your head and take them myself."

Angela's eyes widened in fear. "No!" She screamed in terror. But she could not stop her son's onslaught. She let out a bloodcurdling screech as the pain began to sear across her head, like someone was slicing her with a glass knife.

Noah heard the scream and ran down the hall to the cell. He tried to open the door, but found that it was stuck!

Behind Peter, Sylar lifted himself off the floor and snapped his neck back into place. With Claire's ability, his neck healed immediately. He punched his arm threw the air and threw Peter against the glass window. Peter hit the ground hard and lay there, limp.

Freed from Peter's invisible grasp, Angela's legs nearly gave out. Sylar caught her and steadied her.

"Are you okay?" Sylar asked, his voice filled with concern.

Angela nodded, her palm covering the right side of her forehead.

Sylar's eyes shifted from her to Peter. "Is he going to be alright?"

Angela's voice quaked as she answered. "Yes. I'll make sure of it." As Sylar stared at the unconscious Peter, Angela noticed Noah and nodded, to him. He could continue his business. She knelt next to her son, and stroked his hair.

Noah walked back up the few stares and stood outside the glass as Sylar looked up to see him. He gave a tilt of his head to signal the killer to join him outside.

Angela heard the door open, then click closed. "Peter." She whispered. "What happened to you? Taking on Sylar by yourself… Such a foolhardy move. You aren't a monster like him. Why are you acting like you are?" She stood, and made her way to the door.

Noah and Sylar were outside waiting for her.

"Angela," Noah began, "I-"

She held up her hand to stop him. "It's fine. Send the Haitian down here. And a doctor. Get him cleaned up…" Her voice trailed off as turned away from them and began slowly walking back down the corridor.

(=  
-)

Holly awoke to the sun streaming in from the windows. It looked as if Nathan and Tracy had already been up for a while. They were standing next to the couch, speaking in hushed tones. Her mind slowly came out of the fog of sleep and she caught on to what they were saying.

"I died. And then I saw God. And I truly believe with all my heart that He has a higher purpose for us." Nathan said, his voice serious.

Tracy gave him an incredulous stare. "You think GOD gave us these powers?"

Nathan shrugged. "If he didn't, who did?" He smiled a bit.

Tracy paused, her expression becoming even more shocked. "A doctor in Reseda, California." She said finally. She searched his face for a moment, then walked past him. He stayed where he was as the door opened and closed.

Holly watched him through her green eyes. He looked over and saw her gazing at him. "You always look so intelligent. Do you just sit there and take what we humans do in?"

She nodded, and blinked. Then realized what she had done. She silently berated herself for not thinking.

Nathan gave her a funny look, but shook the odd feeling he got from looking at the cat from his mind. He walked into the kitchen and poured some milk in a bowl. "I'm sorry I don't have more. I'll get some on the way home today."

Holly meowed from the living room, with no intention of following. "Ha!" She thought. "This guy has no idea how bad milk is for cats! I can't drink that!"

Nathan entered the room again. "What's the matter, girl? Not hungry?"

Holly just stared at him, muttering a few frustrated meows. She cursed her inability to talk.

He scratched her behind the ears. "Alright, I'll be back later."

Holly watched him leave. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was difficult for her to keep the charade up. Once he was sure he wasn't coming back, she transformed back to herself. One of the unfortunate limitations of her ability was the fact that her clothes didn't transform with her. The Company had avoided this problem by allowing her to wear a black dress on assignment. However, Angela had taken her clothes from the elevator, and now here she was, in the apartment of Nathan Petrelli, completely naked.

She had made herself memorize Angela's number on the plane ride over, and now she decided to call her. She found Nathan's land-line phone on the kitchen counter. It was a silver cordless, and she lifted it off the base and took it through the bedroom into Nathan's bathroom. She found a towel hanging on the shower door, and wrapped it around herself. Then, she dialed Angela's number.

She heard Angela's voice come on the line. "Hello, Holly. Is everything going well?"

"It's going fine." Holly said. "If you count that I had to watch Nathan and his new lady-friend's version of foreplay last night."

Angela laughed. "Well, that's Nathan for you."

Holly smiled a bit, then her tone became more serious. "How are things going with Gabriel?"

"He's coming along well in his rehabilitation. However, he still killed a man yesterday. He hasn't yet learned to control his urges. It will be a while until you are free to come home."

Holly sighed.

"Don't you think Nathan might realize that phone calls he didn't make are being made from his apartment?" Angela asked in an accusing tone.

"Do you really think Nathan looks that closely at his phone bill?" Holly countered.

"I'm just trying to help, Holly." Angela said. "And really, you shouldn't be out of your cat form. What if Nathan comes home for some reason?"

"He went to work. I doubt he will be back for a few hours."

"Well, let's hope so." Angela said. There was a pause, and Holly could hear another voice in the room. "Well, good to know everything is going well. I have to go. Company business."

Before Holly could say anything, the line went dead. She sighed and set the phone down on the counter. "Well, I might as well take a shower while I'm transformed." She thought.

(=

-)

Five o'clock came and went, then seven and eight. Nathan hadn't returned to the apartment yet. Holly had taken her cat form again in anticipation of his return, but so far, there had been no sign of him. She wasn't particularly worried, but she had to eat. However, she didn't want to just start eating his food. He would realize that something was wrong. He would also realize that something was wrong if she never used the litter box. Holly looked at it and shuddered.

11 o'clock flashed on the display of the oven. Still, Nathan had not returned. Something was wrong. She could feel it. She padded over to the window and looked out, wondering where her keeper was. Not that she particularly cared, but what if Gabriel came? She forced the thought from her mind. "No. Don't even think about him." She told herself, but her thoughts wandered back to him anyway.

Lightning flashed brightly through the room. Holly flipped the switch, but it appeared that the power was completely out. It was unusual to have such violent electrical storms in the area, but here one was, messing with her plans.

"Gabriel! The power's out!" She yelled. She looked at her books strewn about the brownish carpet. "So much for studying." She thought. She was in the living room of a small house built thirty years earlier in the 1960's. The carpets were a long, shaggy fiber. The walls were paneled in wood that matched the carpet's color, and the ceiling was a musty cream. She walked from the living room to the kitchen, where linoleum tiles covered the floor. Gabriel was looking through a cabinet above the sink.

"Here it is." He said. "I knew I had one around here somewhere." He drew out a long black flashlight. "Mom was pretty adamant about supplies. It was one of her conditions with giving me my own place."

"Hey, always prepared, right?" Holly said with a shrug.

Gabriel nodded and smiled. "AND you're not getting out of studying for bio that easily. No power is not an excuse!"

Holly punched his arm playfully. "Since when did YOU become the study cop? I don't think you've had to study for anything a day in your life! It's not fair!"

"Some of us are just…special that way." He said. He put his arm around her waist as they walked back to the living room. "Besides, I look at it as payback for that time you threw my glasses in the T-Rex's mouth!"

Holly pushed him away. "Ugh! Haven't you had enough payback for that already?!" She laughed. She plopped down on the floor in front of her books. "Okay, oh future brain-surgeon. Enlighten me."

Gabriel situated himself next to her and clicked on the flashlight and began reading. "Okay. ' The female and the male must perform a long mating dance to judge each partner's suitability for'-"

"Hey, that's not on the..." She paused and laughed. "Gabriel, that's got to be the lamest mating ritual I've seen, yet. What am I going to do with you?"

Gabriel smiled wryly. "Oh, it's not? I could have sworn it was…"

"You do realize that's probably the world's worst foreplay, right?" Holly laughed.

And before she knew it, she was enjoying the soft sensation of his lips on hers.

If cats could cry, Holly would have cried. She hadn't realized how much she missed him. After he left, she had done her best to push him from her mind, and his return had brought the memories flooding back. How could he have changed so much? It was hard for her to accept that he wasn't her Gabriel anymore. Just a monster named Sylar. She felt her paws moving, but she didn't notice herself moving. She found herself on Nathan's bed. It smelled like him, and the smell was oddly comforting to her. She was lonely. She needed the company of someone, but the smell of another human was all she had. She drifted in and out of sleep. She awoke and saw the bright display of Nathan's alarm clock. 2 AM flashed in bright green. Nathan still wasn't home. "Maybe he decided to stay at Tracy's tonight…" She thought to herself. "Pretty irresponsible with a cat at home, but what can I do?" She sighed and forced herself to go back to sleep.

The next morning, she awoke, the sun coming in from the window in Nathan's room and shading it in a pastel orange. He still had not returned. Something tugged at her mind. An ominous feeling. She decided to call Angela again to see if she knew what was happening. She transformed back to her human self, grabbed the phone, and went back into the bathroom. After dialing, she waited. The phone rang and rang. Finally, it switched over to Angela's voicemail. Holly hung up, and tried again with the same result. She called a third time, hoping she would pick up. Still no answer. She left a message. "Hi, Angela, it's Holly. I was just concerned because Nathan hasn't come back since he left yesterday morning. I don't know if anything is wrong. I hope everything is okay." She clicked off the phone. What was going on? Was she in danger? She wished she could get some answers, but she was quickly learning that the Petrelli family was shrouded in secrets.


	6. The Ties That Bind

Sorry for the slow update again...I really need to get better about this... Enjoy! And don't forget to review!

_**~Limited Empathy**_

* * *

**Social Politics**

**Chapter 6 - "The Ties That Bind"**

Peter found himself in a fog. He was vaguely aware of his body, but he couldn't seem to make it move. The last thing he remembered was Sylar throwing him against the wall in his cell. Suddenly, he felt a pain somewhere around his mouth. He heard a voice. It was faint, but calling his name.

"Peter…"

The voice was familiar, but he was so groggy that he couldn't quite place who it was. He felt someone shaking his face. The fog began to lift, and he recognized none other than Sylar standing above him! Peter tried to react, but he still felt weak.

Sylar began undoing the straps that held Peter to the table. "Peter, you need to come with me." He undid the last strap. "Peter."

"Where am I? What are you doing?" Peter asked, feeling his strength coming back quickly.

"I need your help." Sylar said, finally freeing Peter of his bonds.

Peter jumped from the table and scrambled to put something between him and his enemy. "Get away from me!" He yelled. He weaved around, the table between him and Sylar.

"No, no, no, no, no." Sylar said, trying to reassure him. "I'm not gonna to hurt you."

Peter glared at him. "You already did. You gave me this Hunger. You made me a monster." His voice was accusing. "Now I can't control it. I'm just like you."

"I don't want to be that anymore. I'm trying to be different." Sylar said, breathing hard. "I think I can control it, and if I can, then so can you."

Peter paced as he listened. His mind making the connection between Sylar's words and the future he had seen. "When I saw you in the future, you," He paused. "You changed." He stepped toward Sylar. "You found a way to suppress it. How?"

Sylar was still breathing heavily, struggling to hold back his own Hunger. "I don't know. But just knowing that I figure it out, just believing it's a possibility, gives me hope."

"I don't want hope." Peter hissed. "I want it gone."

"This isn't about you and me." Sylar said. "I woke you because your mother's in trouble…our mother."

Anger flashed across Peter's face. He couldn't stand hearing Sylar refer to her as "our" mother. He didn't want to believe it. But Angela had hid so many secrets before. Maybe it was possible…

"Follow me." Sylar said, leading the way to the cell door. He pushed it open.

Peter grunted in frustration when he realized that the door had been unlocked the whole time. He followed Sylar out of the cell.

Sylar was silent through most of the walk. Primatech seemed to be deserted, but Peter was still worried. "Wait, Syl-" He corrected himself at Sylar's glare. "Gabriel. Someone might see us. I can make us invisible."

"There's no need." Sylar said. "You're Angela's son. No one knows about our little incident, besides Bennet, our mother, and the doctor who patched you up. Your presence isn't out of the ordinary."

"And yours?" Peter asked. "How are you going to explain why a serial killer is roaming the halls?"

Sylar turned on Peter and slammed him into the wall. "Don't call me that! I'm trying to change!"

"Yeah, well, your reputation precedes you." Peter gasped.

Sylar's eyes widened as he realized he was losing control. "I'm sorry, Peter." He let go of him. "I know what you mean. I've been working as an agent, recently. I'll just say I am on assignment with you."

"Sounds like a plan." Peter said. They continued toward the infirmary wing of the facility. Finally, Sylar turned into a room. Peter followed. They found Angela lying on a hospital bed. She was hooked up to an IV drip and several monitors, which beeped steadily.

Sylar walked to the bedside, while Peter hung back in shock. "What happened…" He asked quietly.

"I don't know. Sylar answered. "I found her like this. She's in some kind of a coma." He reached out for her hand and held it gently.

Peter watched, a slight fascination rising in him as he watched Sylar's actions. "You're worried." He observed. "You actually care about her." He joined Sylar at the bedside.

"She's my mother too, Peter." Sylar reminded him. He stepped in front of Peter again. "She's the only person who ever accepted me for what I am." He gazed down at Angela. "I should have protected her." He turned to Peter, desperate. "You have to look inside of her head. We've got to find out what's wrong."

Peter eyed Sylar suspiciously, still not able to bring himself to trust him. He took a tentative step toward the bed, then leaned over Angela and focused his mind on entering hers.

Once inside, he found his mother lying on the same bed, but awake. "Hello Peter. You've come for answers. All I can show you is this." She picked up a clipboard and pen from the table next to the bed and quickly drew a symbol.

Peter was only able to stare at it for a moment before Angela's mind slammed close, forcefully casting him out. He staggered back, holding his forehead.

"What did you see?" Sylar asked.

Peter took a few deep breaths, then went to the bedside table and picked up the very same clipboard and pen. He drew what he had seen on the paper. Two "S" shapes that crossed, with two lines connecting them at the top and bottom – a double helix.

"I've seen this before." Peter said as he held up the drawing for Sylar to see.

Sylar looked closer at it. "So have I." He said. He reached into the pocket of his prisoner's garb and pulled out the business card a girl had broken in to give him earlier. On it was printed the same symbol - one green 'S' and one white, lying sideways on a blue background. Next to it, the word "Pinehearst" was spelled out in large letters, below that the word "Company" in smaller letters. There was also an address.

Peter and Sylar exchanged glances.

"That's where we have to go." Peter said angrily. He turned to leave, but Sylar caught his shoulder.

"Let's make a plan first. Whoever did this-"

"Look at us! We're invincible! We don't need a plan!" Peter exclaimed. "I'm going now. Whoever did this is going to pay."

"At least get some civilian clothes first." Sylar said.

(=

-)

Holly flipped through the channels aimlessly. She was bored. She had given up on not eating Nathan's food because she wasn't about to starve. Besides, if Gabriel was rehabilitated, she would be able to come out of hiding soon. That thought made her smile. She would be very happy to have him back in her life.

Holly had also given up on the litter box. She just couldn't bring herself to use it, and now that Nathan had disappeared, she figured it would be a bad idea to use it now, since she would just have to change it herself, anyway.

She wondered what would happen if she went for a walk. Or maybe just went out on the balcony. But, a voice in her head told her that both were bad ideas. Just showing herself outside could cause problems for the senator and herself.

Nathan was beginning to intrigue her. She had only spent a few hours with him, but he seemed to be a good person stuck in a cutthroat job. However, he seemed to like it! She picked up the photo from the table. "And who are you?" She asked aloud, looking at the man beside Nathan. She felt an instinctive connection with him, even just looking at the picture. She wished she could know why. Then a thought struck her. If the family was involved with specials, maybe there were specials in the family as well. "Are you one of us?" She whispered.

She wanted to find out more about this stranger, but Nathan's apartment was still missing many of his most personal belongings. In fact, the photograph on the coffee table was the only one in the whole place. She was boxed in; completely cut off from the outside world. She sighed. How long would it be before she was free again?

(=

-)

Nathan's eyes slowly opened. At first, he didn't know where he was, but the memories came back quickly. "Suresh's injection…" He thought.

There were straps around his wrists. He shifted a bit, and felt other straps restraining his legs and torso. His shirt lay open, and he could feel a slight chill. There was one light on in the room. It was a very large floodlight in a metal case which was shining on Nathan.

"You're awake."

Nathan tensed at the sound of Suresh's voice.

"You can relax, Nathan. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Like hell, you're not going to hurt me!" Nathan snarled. "Why else would you have me strapped to an examination table?"

Suresh appeared over him with a small light, and shined it in Nathan's eyes. "You want answers?" He clicked the light off. "So do I." He retreated from the table, and Nathan could hear him doing something on a counter behind his head.

"How's Tracy?"

"She's fine, Nathan. Now, I need you to focus on what we're doing." Suresh answered.

Nathan struggled against the straps, hoping that maybe he could at least loosen them. But, they were too tight. He relaxed in defeat. There was absolutely nothing he could do.

Suresh returned with a syringe and a rubber tie. "I'm going to draw some blood now."

Nathan felt Suresh's cold hand on the inside of his arm. He shifted, but Suresh kept a firm hold on him. "Stop moving." He demanded.

Suddenly, they both heard a rapping from somewhere outside the room.

"Keep quite." Suresh ordered.

Nathan heard the doctor's footsteps fade away. He heard the sound of a door opening. Suresh seemed annoyed at whoever it was.

He heard a groan from somewhere near his feet. At the same instant, he heard someone enter the room.

"Help us…." Came Tracy's weak voice.

Nathan lifted his head slightly and saw a young woman standing in the doorway. There was a look of shock and horror on her face. Their eyes met for an instant, and then she was gone. Who would save them now?

(=

-)

Peter opened the door to Angela's office.

"What are we doing?" Sylar asked, following behind him.

Peter went straight for a dark wardrobe opposite the windows. When he opened it, he found their clothes hanging up inside. He grabbed his own clothes, then thrust Sylar's at him. "Hurry and put these on."

It only took them a few moments to make the switch. Peter shoved their gray prisoner's garb into the wardrobe and strode out of the room. Sylar hurried to catch up with him.

Peter rounded a corner in the hall, his strides long and purposeful.

"Peter, don't." Sylar said. "You're in no condition to go to Pinehearst."

Peter wasn't about to stop. "They spread abilities; cause the end of the world. They did this to her."

Sylar looked concerned. "Well, I want revenge for what they did to Mom, too-"

"Stop calling her that!" Peter ordered.

Sylar finally overtook him and stood in front of him.

Peter stopped. "You are not my family." He hissed, pointing at Sylar.

Sylar stood his ground. "What you took from me – my ability – I've lived with it. The need for power will consume you." His voice took on a grave note. "It will control you."

"Get out of my way." Peter demanded.

"No. I'm your brother. You have got to listen to me. You need help."

"I don't need anything from you!" Peter yelled, anger distorting his features. He lunged at Sylar, and took flight, pushing him through a set of doors and down the hall. He rammed the stunned Sylar into the wall at the end of the hall.

Sylar thrust his hand out, using his mind to throw Peter off of him. Peter hit the floor and skidded a few feet.

"I'm not going to let you leave, Peter." Sylar said, staggering to his feet. "I've been down that path. It's too dangerous!"

Peter got to his knees, his frustration building. He shot a bolt of blue electricity from his hand.

The current blasted Sylar, pinning him to the wall and temporarily paralyzing him.

Peter jumped up, keeping the charge at full blast and rushed toward him. Just in front of him, Peter stopped the electrical onslaught and punched Sylar across the face.

Sylar fell to the floor, and Peter grabbed him by the shirt collar. He towered over the defeated killer. "You're too weak to stop me." He said, and punched him again. "I know what it feels like now." He lashed out again. "All this power."

Sylar braced himself as another blow hit him in the head.

Peter leaned in to Sylar's face. "I'm the most special." He growled, and took one final shot at the man he held. He released the collar and stood over him for a moment. Then, he knelt, and placed his hand on him. In an instant, they were back in Peter's cell.

Peter hoisted Sylar onto the table and strapped him down. "You didn't deserve my mother's favor." He hissed. He grabbed the tube that had been stuck in his own nose earlier. He threaded it into Sylar's nose, the flipped on the switch to turn on the machine that delivered the sedative drug. He straightened, and made one last tug on the straps, then hurriedly strode from the room. He closed the door telekinetically as he disappeared down the hall.


End file.
